Sunday 8th May 2022

Our newest patient - an Eastern Rockhopper

​Hello friends and family
The sunshine continues. After a quiet day on Sunday, Stewart phoned in the evening and delivered us a Rockhopper, in the moult and very underweight. On Tuesday we released the juvenile YEP and one of the adult males which has us down to 3 penguins in care. 

telling fish stories on the way home

​I am deep cleaning the enclosures as soon as they are empty, but it does take a few days. The other job I am doing to clean up from the season is potting up the last of the Pohutukawa and Cabbage trees. I must stay off the garden centre websites until I have sorted out the plants that I already have.

Kakabeak loving the warm weather

​On Thursday we took blood from the Rockhopper and found he has a high white blood cell count which means an infection. As soon as we started treatment he perked up and started to feed from the hand. 

yes we have kowhai blooming

​Yesterday I attended the WReNNZ workshop, (wildlife rehabilitators network of New Zealand), of which I am vice Chairperson. It meant staying in the kitchen all day in front of the laptop while Hiltrun did the rounds on her own, but it was well worth it. The rehabbers are an awesome group of people. They are kind, respectful and knowledgeable, which they are willing to share. Like all great conferences, I came away with knowledge to change my behaviour which is what it is all about.

Just resting in the colony

Have a great week!
Rosalie